The wedding season has begun, and for us, that meant last weekend we high-tailed it down to Florida. To St. Petersburg, to be exact. And it couldn't have come at a better time. What with the endless April showers and a half-packed home (in preparation for a move), we had no idea how much we need a little get away... until we got away. And St. Petersburg charmed us at every turn.

With a plethora of things to do and see, we only got a snippet of what this city has to offer. Last weekend, for instance, there was a jazz festival and a baseball game that we would have gladly attended were we not more gladly celebrating our friends' union at The St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts.

Essentials to Pack:

A hat
Sunscreen
A swimsuit
A smile (perhaps the friendliest passers-by in the nation)

Despite it only being mid April, the heat and humidity rolled into St. Pete with gusto. With temperatures in the mid 80s in this pedestrian-friendly city, protection from the sun will avoid making an enjoyable trip into a trip burned by -- a sunburn.

The Look:

Casual by day but feel free to step things up a bit at night. Flowy summer dresses did the trick but I added heels at night and I was good to go. For men, you can't really go wrong with linen button downs.

Places to Stay:

The Hollander - a great local hotel within walking distance of many places. It also will be opening a pool this summer - added bonus.

The Birchwood Hotel - fancy with amazing views of the water.

Airbnb - my man and I have been using Airbnb for years now, refining our searches so that we are never disappointed. The guest house we stayed at in St. Pete's was no exception. Located in the Old Northeast neighborhood, our accommodations were an easy to walk to every event we attended. We hardly used our rental car. And the neighborhood itself was - I'm know I'm overusing this word here - charming. I'm a sucker for wrap-around porches and bungalow abodes.

What's more, I love having a little kitchen to make my own food while away. A lazy morning coffee and fresh fruit in my pajamas = vacation. Speaking of food...

Cuisine:

One can't really go wrong here, but still. From the information our stomachs gathered:

The Oyster Bar is the place to grab your oysters on a half shell.

The Banyan Cafe has exceptional breakfast sandwiches and burritos. (But whatever you do, make sure you order a side of bacon too.)

The Canopy Lounge (located on the rooftop of the Birchwood Hotel) has plenty of small plates for sharing that hit the spot. But the reason you go is for the view.

If we had one more meal in us, I would have explored the several asian fusion restaurants that polka dotted the city. Alas - til next time...

The Saturday Morning Market. Located on the downtown St. Pete Waterfront, it's huge (the largest in the southeast, according to their website), with vendors that sell bountiful produce, local arts & crafts, artisan jams & honey and all that one expects of a farmers' market. But what really wowed me? The endless options for ethnic food made to order. Arrive hungry, folks. The food is exceptional.

Tourist Attractions & Activities:

Like I mentioned up top, there are endless things to do here. There's a day at the beach (the St. Petersburg beach is gorg), or a lazy afternoon of kayaking. Sports teams abound in the area, but so do museums. The top of our list? The Dali Museum. The architecture of the building is just as impressive as their collection.